Hortense…Part 1…A Dawning

Hortense was tense, as her name implied, and she needed to keep still or they’d see her. She pulled at her hat to make sure it was on tight and motioned to Magic, her black cat, to keep tabs on the situation in front of them. She knelt down and spoke to Morris, the large black spider, King of the spiders hereabouts, (if he was to be believed of course, he could spin a fine tale!!) …”Pssst,” she said, not realising she’d almost made the same amount of noise as if she’d spoken normally, “are you finished?” Morris rolled his eyes and nodded slowly whilst pointing with one of his eight legs. There above them. attached safely to the Big Ancient Oak Tree, was the largest web she’d ever seen. Almost like a platform, she stared open-mouthed at the beauty of the shiny, intricate, silver gossamer strands, twinkling in the moonlight. Then suddenly remembering why they were there, she used her wand to ‘magic’ them to the safety of the ‘silver platform’ … “Oh yes”, she thought, “we’ll be way, way above the conclave below”… and because the moon was waning, she would get a great view and not be seen herself…

There, gathering before the three of them, was the next meeting of AoSCaF (the Association Of Spell Casters and Familiars…) and somehow She had to hear what was being discussed this night, as she’d had a strange feeling all day that She was the one on the Agenda. She magicked up a spell of ‘ear wigging’ ( Listening in, to you or me!!) and soon the voices came in loud and clear, she could have magicked up sub-titles but thought that would’ve been showing off…

“Well, are we all here” growled a deep voice, seemingly in the air to the left of them, almost making her jump, “Put all your hands up so I can count them” Never one to use magic when old-fashioned eye-balling would suffice, High Wizard Ronald, was in charge of the proceedings. ”One missing?” the voice continued, and a high-pitched, moaning Minnie kind of voice , replied, “I’m here, look down you idiot!!” and Hortense had to stifle a shriek of laughter as she imagined the angry diminutive figure of Minnie the dwarf, trying to look taller!!… “Let the minutes say that all were present at the 4596 general meeting of AoSCaF… now, to the agenda, only one subject this evening, Hortense… and her abilities. “ Hortense’s heart took a dive to her shoes and back again, it’s one thing to have suspicions about something, quite another to have those suspicions proved. She hadn’t faced up to the fact that she really, really needed to know she was liked and admired…. Well, maybe that was asking too much, but surely they admired her skills?… “What about her?” a silky, smarmy female voice butted in… Velma, the blackest of black witches in the area, she always ignored Hortense , always looked through her, “She’s not important enough to discuss in full general meeting, surely?” The last word was uttered with such contempt that Hortense wondered if Velma knew she was listening in. HW Ronald coughed, spluttered and finally said, “I am in charge here, are you questioning my judgement?” and even one of Velma’s nature hadn’t the nerve to answer… “To continue, and please, leave any comments to be added at the end of my proclamation”.. She could almost ‘see’ him staring each one down , one by one…. She wasn’t prepared for what happened next, had never thought in her wildest of wonderings …. “ Hortense is to be banished from Magic Wood, the outlying district and from Magic Dell Village, forthwith, “ …..

Hortense hadn’t heard the last word uttered by HW Ronald, as the banishment had taken hold, as soon as he uttered the word “Forthwith” It was done, sealed, the magic conclave far below her had taken hold of the spell, magnified it, brought it to fulfillment …. had picked her up, her two familiars and all her belongings in her worn carpetbag, then dumped her unceremoniously outside the area of her banishment. She was alone, …no… , they were alone, the three of them, to face whatever was to come….